Fate's Game
by Jade Bloom
Summary: She really doesn't need a man but fate clearly has other ideas for her. So what better way to fix her problem than to throw her ex-boyfriend at her way? [Joseph x OC]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** : So TEW was a mistake and now I'm in love with Joseph. This is just going to be a short series...and set before all the shit that happened in TEW1.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Fate is a Bitch**

* * *

"I don't understand."

Ceres ignores her friend, Loraine, and opts to take a sip of the tea latte she had ordered earlier. The sweet flavour that invades her taste buds make her smile faintly, appreciating the instant calming effect it gives her.

It's a beautiful Tuesday noon at Krimson City. She and Loraine don't have any classes until later in the afternoon so they decided to spend their break at their usual cafe. The quaint establishment is quiet and only occupied by a few people, especially since the morning rush has passed and most people are out, going about their day.

"You're smart, beautiful, and a capable woman! And yet here you are, single and no boyfriend at all!"

Ceres resists the urge to sigh, already knowing where this conversation is leading to.

Loraine's amber eyes peer at her with obvious concern, her brown hair braided neatly. She's wearing that favoured dark green a-line dress of hers. Her golden band on her ring finger glistens, one she wears with great confidence.

"Who said anything about wanting a man? What if I wanted to date a woman instead?" She remarks with a slight teasing grin.

Her friend stops in-between her rant, blinking at her with wide eyes.

"Do you?"

She snickers at her friend's gullibility, hiding her amusement by taking another sip of her drink.

"No."

Loraine gives her a slight glare at that.

"Come on, Ceres. You're almost twenty-nine and yet you're nowhere close to getting married. Aren't you worried?"

Ceres internally rolls her eyes at her friend's words.

Ever since her friend got married a year ago, she has been on her case about seriously dating once again. And since she has shown no signs (or interest) of changing her current relationship status, her friend took it upon her to rectify this issue. She even tried to set her up with some of her husband's friends. Obviously it never worked, only because she made up excuses why she wouldn't be able to make it to the dates or just plainly turn the guy down depending on her mood.

She knows Loraine means well but she ought to really stay out of her business. Her friend is the type to believe that no one is complete unless they get married. Not that Ceres is opposed to marriage, but she thinks forcing herself to find someone just to get married isn't the way to do it.

"Not really," she admits dismissively. "I have better things to do. Besides, I love my job too much to really focus on anyone right now."

Loraine gives her a disapproving look.

"And next thing you know, you've turned into an old maid."

"An old maid who can afford someone to take care of herself since she never had to spend any money on children," she attempts a joke but when she peers at her friend and sees her horrified expression, she sighs. "It's a joke, Loraine."

Her friend only shakes her head.

"You do have an ideal man at least, right?"

"'Course I do."

The excited look on her friend's face is instant at that, sitting up straight, looking giddy.

"Well? 'Fess up!"

She chuckles, deciding to humour her friend this once so that this dreaded topic is done. Knowing her, she just wants an idea of what kind of man she likes just so she can search for possible prospects.

"I'm not picky – just the typical, dark, handsome type." A pause. "Glasses wouldn't hurt, makes them look like an intellectual."

When she hears no smart comeback from her friend, she looks up and finds her mouth wide agape in shock, almost as if she's just seen a ghost.

"What?" She asks with an arched brow.

It takes her dark-haired friend to respond, her mouth opening and closing a few times.

"...I think I've just found your ideal man," she finally manages to say.

Ceres rolls her eyes, finishing the contents of her drink.

"Uh-huh."

"No, he's right _there_."

Ceres looks over her shoulder to where her friend is pointing at behind her.

There, by the cash register, is a man wearing a white shirt and black waistcoat. The gun holstered by his side is unmistakable – a cop, perhaps? His back is turned towards them but she can tell that he is speaking with a taller Caucasian man whose outfit is almost similar to his. Perhaps sensing her eyes on him, he turns his head to look at her direction. Ceres can see his eyes briefly widen in surprise, recognition.

 _Oh no_.

He suddenly leaves midway their conversation, much to his partner's chagrin as he attempts to call him back. But his friend ignores him blatantly,

" _Hey_! Where are you going?"

She can hear her friend making excited noises as the man approaches her, unaware of the panic threatening to overwhelm her.

"Ceres?" He calls out to her, his tone sounding both happy and shocked at the same time.

She gives him an awkward smile, no doubt looking much more of a grimace than anything.

"...Joseph."

Fate just had to throw her ex-boyfriend at her, huh?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** : God I love this man so much.

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Rejection**

* * *

The electric clock by the counter blinked just past midnight. The food that was set on the dining table had gone cold, untouched and abandoned. Suddenly, there was a sharp ringing that came from the living room. It was the landline phone. Despite that knowledge, she remained seated on her spot on the dining chair, palms covering her face as her elbows leaned on the wooden table. Her breaths came ragged and quick as tears pooled down her eyes.

The ringing finally stopped but was soon followed by the familiar automated voice of the answering machine echoing in the empty apartment.

 _"We're sorry we're unable to take your call. Please leave your message after the beep – BEEP."_

 _"Ceres...it's me."_

Her breath hitched at the sound of his voice, her body going still. She bit her lower lip, hands bawling into fists. She felt her chest tighten uncontrollably, almost as if someone was squeezing it tight. His voice had always made her feel at peace and happy. Yet the emotions that filled her at the moment were nothing but anger and loneliness.

She already knew what his next words would be, the disappointment surely to follow, clouding her heart.

 _"I'm sorry. I can't_ _come home tonight as well_ _. There's a case that just came in and I –"_

She suddenly let out an anguished cry, shoving the food off the table. The dishes and glasses shattered into pieces, the metal crashing on the floor. She fell onto the floor, sobbing.

She had enough of it.

* * *

Ceres lets out a tired sigh as the last of her students finally trail out of the classroom. It's been a long day, having to teach for almost the entire day. Though she doesn't have anymore lectures for the day, she still has some papers to review and grade.

"The life of a professor never truly ends, huh?" She mumbles ironically to herself, almost shoving her stacks of paperwork and small laptop inside her purse. She can't wait until she gets home and enjoy a warm bath and a glass or two of white wine...

"Ah, but that will have to wait," she reminds herself, cracking her neck as she zips her purse closed. Heaving it over her shoulder, she makes her way to the door only to stop when she sees someone familiar standing by door.

It's Joseph.

He's leaning by the door frame, arms crossed as if he is waiting for someone. He's wearing that familiar white long-sleeved shirt and black waistcoat under that partially open black trench coat of his. Thankfully, he's not carrying his gun with him though she can't tell if that's because he has it hidden or not. His badge is attached on the front pocket of his coat, meaning that he is still on duty for the day.

Involuntarily, she grips onto the leather strap of her purse tightly, her lips pursed.

"What are you doing here?"

He turns to look at the sound of her voice. Adjusting his glasses, he pushes himself off the door frame. He gives her a small smile but when he notices the guarded, unhappy expression on her face, it quickly fades away.

"Hey," he greets, rather lamely.

She only eyes him silently, scrutinizing him. She can see the discomfort in his body language the longer she stares at him, fidgeting on his spot. It's a habit she has always found endearing about him, the way he would turn shy whenever she was around.

But that was back then, back when they were still together. The thought brings a bittersweet feeling in her chest but she ignores it. No point in dwelling in the past.

"What are you doing here?" She repeats her question once more, careful to school a neutral expression.

"Do you have time right now?" He asks. "I...can we talk?"

"I have other things to do, Joseph," she begins to say, making her way out of the room and attempting to bypass him. However, she feels his hand hold onto her wrist, stopping her from taking another step away from him.

" _Please_. It won't take long."

Her gaze falls down at his gloved hand holding onto her wrist then back at him. His eyes appear resolute, almost pleading. They have always been so expressive, always so open. It takes great effort for her to look away, averting her gaze to the floor beneath them instead.

"Fine," she says with a sigh, pulling her wrist away from him. He lets her. "Come with me. We can talk in my office."

She leads them both to the other side of the campus. Upon arriving in front of her office, she unlocks the door and lets him in first. She closes the door behind them once both of them are inside. The sight that first greets her is the scattered stacks of paperwork on her desk. She's already lamenting the amount of overtime she will be doing tonight. It seems Joseph noticed, too, judging by the unimpressed look on his face.

"Still doing this much work? You ought to really lessen your workload," he comments with a frown, having noticed the scattered paperwork on her desk.

"It's a habit I never managed to get rid of. It made me forget whenever you never came home."

That remark auspiciously silences him but she ignores it as she drops her purse atop the shortest stack of paperwork. Taking a seat on her computer chair, she takes out her laptop and connects it to the computer screen though something tells her she won't be getting much work done with him being around.

"Well? You wanted to talk, right?" She starts, waving her hand over the seat across from her for him to sit on. "Go right ahead."

For a moment, he stands there, looking lost and contemplative. It's as if he doesn't know how to start the conversation.

"Can we talk about what happened back then? About us?"

"What do you mean?" She asks, feigning ignorance. She refuses to look at him as her eyes remain glued to the computer screen, not having expected him to bring it up.

"You know what I'm talking about," he insists, almost sounding accusatory. "You left without a word, with all your belongings gone from the apartment when I came home. Do you realize how _worried_ I was when I realized you were gone?"

"That was two years ago, Joseph. I would've thought you would've forgotten about it by now," she chides dismissively.

"How could I forget when the woman I love up and _left_ me? Do you think of me as some kind of uncaring bastard?"

She says nothing, only pursing her lips at his accusation. She's reminded of the lonely nights, of cold, untouched food, and broken promises. He was always absent, always bailing out on her and yet now she's the bad guy?

"You might as well be with how often you were gone!" She retorts back vehemently. "Did you realize how lonely I was, Joseph? All you cared about was your damn job, like your _entire_ world revolved around it. At one point, I even considered the fact that maybe you were having an affair."

She clenches her fists, willing herself not to cry but it proved to be difficult. She had thought that she was over it, having shed all her tears away back then to the point where they have all dried up.

"I was tired, exhausted. I didn't want to deal with it any longer, Joseph."

The sounds of faraway traffic drift inside the open window of her office, filling in the silence that befalls on them. The mini electric fan she let on earlier this morning buzzes lightly as it sways back and forth slowly, the breeze doing nothing to abate the heavy atmosphere between the two of them.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Comes his quiet voice. "If you were that _unhappy_ with me, the least you could have done was tell me."

"I didn't want to be in the way of your happiness," she admits, her breath shaking. "You were so happy with your job that one look at your smile whenever you told stories of a case you solved or whenever you managed to save someone's life, I felt like I couldn't say anything. It wasn't fair of me to let you choose between me or your job–"

"So you thought that it was better that you chose for me?"

Her silence serves as enough answer for him.

" _God_ , Ceres." His voice sounds so resigned, weak. She feels him approach her until finally he's standing right beside her. The computer chair is moved to so that she's facing him and she looks to find him leaning in front of her. The hurt expression she sees on his face nearly broke her heart and she can't help wondering where they had gone wrong, why their relationship went south.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. He reaches out for her hands, bringing it to his lips. "I never meant to make you feel that way."

His lips brush against her fingers, reminding her of how caring and gentle he always was with her. It was not always bad being with him, after all, she _did_ love him.

Joseph had always been a kind and loyal man. He never treated her poorly or harmed her in any way or manner. He always remembered to buy her flowers for their anniversary, always took her out on her birthday. He took care of her whenever she fell ill and was there to listen to her after a particularly hard day.

"Can we ever start over once again?" He asks, tone sounding pleading with his eyes cast down. His eyelashes flutter against her skin as he presses a kiss against her palms. She almost melts against it.

"I don't know," she admits, pulling away from his hold. She doesn't like that fluttery feeling she felt that moment briefly. "I rightly don't know if I can again, Joseph."

His expression looks crestfallen at her statement but before he can say anything else, the sound of phone ringing interrupts him. The ringtone is unfamiliar to her, meaning that it's his phone ringing.

He mumbles a curse under his breath, standing back on his feet while pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"Detective Oda," he answers the phone, turning around for some semblance of privacy.

Ceres takes this chance to put some distance between them, walking over to the windows in an attempt to calm her nerves. The sun outside is about to set, the sky a mixture of reds and oranges. She can see the main entrance courtyard of the campus where a few people idle by or are just passing by.

"I have to go," he informs her after ending his call.

She smiles wryly at this, feeling a sense of déjà vu. How many times did he leave her back then to attend to his job?

"Of course you do," she says quietly though he still hears her.

"Ceres, I..."

"We're done, Joseph," she tells him with a tone of finality. "Don't show your face to me ever again."

She misses the wounded look on his face, the way his eyes cloud with sadness at her blatant rejection of him.

"For what it's worth," he begins, tone sad and subdued. "I loved you, even to this very moment."

Her chest squeezes tight at his declaration but she still refuses to look at him, fearing that when she does meet him in the eyes, that all will of hers will come crumbling and succumb to him once more.

The sound of his shoes clicking on the floor reaches her ears, followed by the sounds of her office door creaking open and then clicking closed. Finally, she lets out the breath she has been holding this entire time, squeezing her eyes tight as she feels the first batch of tears fall down her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

 _I'm sorry for being a coward_.

But she refuses to have her heart broken once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N** : You know what's upsetting? Joseph not being in TEW2. PS. I'll edit this sometime this week lmao

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Lady Luck**

* * *

"...eph."

"Jo..."

" _Joseph_."

Joseph blinks out of his stupor. The first thing he sees is the computer screen in front of him, the letters appear blurry, incoherent. Beside it is the cup of coffee he purchased earlier, still untouched and undoubtedly cold by now. He was in the middle of writing a report about a case they just solved.

Removing his glasses, he rubs his eyes tiredly, hoping to clear his vision. Once he is content, puts his spectacles back on. Peering up, he immediately sees Sebastian hovering over his desk, a concerned look on his face.

"You okay there, bud?" The older man asks him.

"Yeah," he sighs out, massaging his forehead. "Just...tired."

His partner gives him a concerned look.

"You look like a zombie. Have you even been sleeping at all?"

 _No_ , he almost admits to him. Because his nightmares have been keeping him up, reminding him of what he had lost. All he can remember is the detest in her face, the disappointment in her eyes as she looked at him. When had she started looking at him like that?

"There's just a lot on my mind," he responds instead, hoping that would sate his coworker.

"That wasn't my question," Sebastian _tsk_ ed, obviously not believing him.

When Joseph shows no signs of elaborating, Sebastian only shakes his head. He knows better than to force information out of his reserved friend.

 _Must be the Japanese in him_ , he thinks to himself as he eyes him one last time.

The Japanese-Canadian looks exhausted. While it never affected his job performance (which is impeccable as always, much to his chagrin – how does he _even_ do it?), he has noticed that he looks more distracted lately. Once in a while, he would catch a look of sadness on his face before he would bury his nose on that notebook he always carries around with him.

"You having trouble with that chick you picked up at that cafe from a few weeks ago?"

He can see the obvious look of surprise in his friend's face, looking off-guard.

"Pardon me?"

"The chick with the sandy blonde hair in high ponytail," he clarifies. "You surprised me so much. You left in the middle of our conversation just to approach her. I must say, I didn't peg you as someone to pick someone up out of nowhere but I admit I'm damn impressed."

Joseph lets out a sigh, shaking his head at his friend's absurdity.

"I _wasn't_ picking her up, as you say," he denies with a frown. "She was a _former_ girlfriend."

The grin on his face immediately disappears at that piece of information, mouth agape.

"Oh," he says lamely, rubbing the back of his neck in shame. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I never did tell you who she was," Joseph assures him with a strained smile. "I actually came to see her at her workplace a few days ago. She said she never wants to see me ever again."

"Ouch, that's harsh. What'd you do to make her hate you so much?" As if realizing how insensitive that comes out and how it's none of his business, he quickly rectifies himself. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, you know?"

"I don't mind," he assures once more. "I suppose I was too much of a workaholic back then; I was seldom home. I...was a neglectful partner."

"It comes with this profession, sadly. Which is why I'm glad Myra is with the law enforcement as well. She understands why I can't be around all the time." Sebastian sits on the edge of his desk, arms crossing to his chest. "Not many can understand the expectations of our job."

"We never did talk about it," Joseph points out to him with a sigh. "I just...assumed she would understand as long as I told her it's work. I never even knew she was unhappy."

Sebastian gives his friend a sympathetic pat on the shoulder.

"Cheer up, man. I'm sure it'll work out."

A patrol officer suddenly calls out to Sebastian to look over something. Giving him a wry smile, he gives one nod to his partner before rising from the desk he sits on.

Joseph then looks back at his unfinished report then at the tiny velvet box he had left to collect dust by the corner. He rubs his face with a hand, letting out another sigh once more.

He can't go on like this.

* * *

The look of terror on her face was unmistakable, her mouth wide agape.

The hot liquid drips down on the floor, his uniform top now stained with coffee. There was already a tiny puddle forming on the tiled floor beneath his once perfectly polished shoes. He remained motionless, still unsure of what exactly had just occurred – everything had happened so fast.

" _Fuck!_ " Came her quiet hiss, finally snapping out of it and quickly began rummaging through her purse. Finding what she needed, she pulled out the pocket size pack of tissues from her purse. She almost hit him in the face with her hand as she carelessly pulled out the tissue out of its package but he managed to evade this time.

"I am _so_ sorry!" She frantically apologized, dabbing his stained clothes with the tissues. It's a futile attempt, obviously. "Oh my god, I'm such a goddamn klutz! Are you okay?!"

He opened his mouth to respond but he never had the chance to as she called over one of the employees who worked at the cafe they were currently at.

"Do you have anymore tissues?" She asked, tone desperate and frantic.

One of them quickly handed over a bunch of those brown tissue papers while another came back with a mop and bucket.

"Are you hurt anywhere? That coffee was scalding hot," she said, inspecting him worriedly.

"I'm fine," he assures her, accepting the proffered tissue papers from the cafe employee.

She still looked guilty, her eyes briefly falling on his stained uniform. Without another word, she took out a pen and paper from her purse and began scribbling on it. He watched her curiously, wondering what she was doing. Once she was done, she clicked her pen closed and folded the piece of paper and then handed it over to him.

"Here is my number. Call me if you need your uniform dry-cleaned."

"There is really no need to," he insists, shaking his head. "It was just an accident."

"Please," she said, reaching out for his hand. She placed the folded paper on his hand forcefully but not forceful enough to actually hurt him. The very physical contact caught him off-guard, making him blush slightly. She didn't seem to notice, thankfully. "I insist. Let me do this at least. I feel really bad."

Her eyes peered at him with pleading eyes and he couldn't really say no at this point when she was looking at him like that. The way her crimson-like eyes glistened with concern, her red lips looking plump as she pouted unconsciously...it was _maddening_!

This was what they meant when a woman had a man ensnared under her spell.

Her sandy blonde hair was tied up to a high bun, her outfit consisting of a simple white sleeveless turtleneck top and a tight black mid-thigh skirt. Simple but elegant were the words he would describe her.

"All right," he sighed with a relenting smile, accepting the folded paper.

She smiled as well, looking relieved.

"My name is Ceres Rhys. How about you?"

"Joseph. Joseph Oda."

They shook each other's hands, her smile growing wide and looking radiant that he couldn't stop feeling enamored by the sight.

"It's nice to meet you, Joseph."

"Likewise."

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?"

She lets out a sigh, having expected this kind of reaction from her friend.

Loraine sits across the chair in front of her work desk, one hand holding a paper she was reviewing. Her brown hair is down this time and is sporting a simple blue tunic and white pants. Her amber eyes are narrowed to a glare and was directed at her.

"You just shoved him away despite him apologizing? Do you know how rare it is for a man to apologize since most men are too damn stubborn to even admit when they're wrong?" She chides with a click of her tongue, the discontent clear on her face. "The man clearly regrets it if he begged you to take him back."

This time, it is Ceres' turn to frown.

"You don't know how awful it was back then," she murmurs unhappily, almost grumpily.

"It's been _three_ years, Ceres. And even then, you guys were so young back then, still figuring things out along the way. Surely you've both matured from then on." Loraine presses her eyes shut, throwing the paper she was reading into a messy heap on the ground with a resigned sigh.

"Besides," she continues, leaning her head back on her seat to stare at the ceiling while dipping one hand on the box of donuts she brought with her. "You can't blame him entirely for it, you _chose_ to keep it all inside. How was the man supposed to know how you were feeling? As shocking as it may come to you, men _aren't_ mind readers."

"Are you supposed to be on my side or his?" She scowls with furrowed brows.

"Neither," her friend quips back dismissively, munching on a donut. "You both were in the wrong. God, this is like watching one of those infuriating soap operas. Please don't be one of those annoying characters."

Ceres rolls her eyes, turning her attention back on the computer screen and resumed typing the material for her next lesson.

"Whatever," she grumbles begrudgingly under her breath.

"You shouldn't leave the way things as they are, Ceres," her friend advises her, tone sounding sombre all of a sudden. "He's a detective now, right? You are aware of how dangerous his job can be, right? He may get hurt or – worse – actually get killed while on duty. And with all these missing and murdered people lately? You better hope he doesn't get assigned to that."

She takes in her words silently, her tapping on the keyboard momentarily paused.

"Fear is temporary. Regret is forever."

* * *

Their first date was a huge disaster. As soon as they stepped inside the restaurant, things started to fall apart. Their reservation at the restaurant was removed due to an error in the restaurant's booking system. Not only that, the restaurant staff couldn't just seat them at a table since the entire place was packed (some kind of film event was taking place just around the corner so they were especially busier than usual) and the waiting time was close to three hours; they weren't about to waste their night waiting just to be seated.

So out they went in search for a different restaurant, only to have rain suddenly pour down on them out of nowhere. Of course, since the weather channel never mentioned anything about sudden rain for that evening, they weren't prepared and didn't bring an umbrella. Joseph suggested that they get on his car and drive around the area until they found a restaurant to their liking. Yet, as soon as they board his car, misfortune fell upon them once again when the engine refused to turn on.

He called for a towing truck and was informed that they wouldn't be able to retrieve his car until two hours. Forced to abandon his car, they found themselves stuck in line waiting at a taxi shelter, along with everyone else that came unprepared for the night.

At this point, she was at her wit's end. Was this a sign from the gods that this was not meant to be?

"It's just one bad thing after another, huh?" She sighed, adjusting the jacket he lent her earlier when it began to pour. It smelled like cologne and a scent unique only to him; it made her want to revel it as she burrowed her face into it.

"Yeah...it wasn't exactly what I had in mind," he agreed wryly. He noticed her slight shivering and he frowned.

"Are you cold?"

"I'm fine," she assured with a smile. "Though, I will admit, I'm quite _famished_."

There was a contemplative look on his face as he looked around their surroundings. The line was still ridiculously long, traffic being horrendous especially more so today because of that film festival. Not only that, the rain didn't show any signs of it ceasing any time soon.

His eyes noticed something at the corner of his eyes.

"I've got an idea," he said, grabbing her attention. "Come with me."

He led her out of the shed. They had to make a run for it due to the rain. At one point, she had almost slipped, not exactly dressed appropriately for the horrendous weather. Joseph caught her before she really fell and offered his hand for her to hold onto. She grabbed it without any hesitation, not missing the sparks that hit her the moment they made skin contact.

They found themselves inside a quaint sushi restaurant, family owned it seemed like.

An elderly lady invited them in, looking worried when she saw how drenched they were. She immediately had them seated, offering them tea and dry towels. They quickly gave their orders and promised that she'd be back soon with them. There was an old soothing love song playing softly in the background, calming her as the female voice sang the cheesy but relatable lyrics.

 _Baby, now that I found you I won't let you go..._

 _...I build my world around you..._

"I'm sorry that it's not as fancy as the first restaurant I had in mind," he apologized the moment they were settled.

She blinked at him, tuning out the music when he spoke.

"It's fine, Joseph," she assured him with a smile. "I don't really care where we go, I just wanted to spend time with you."

This time, she didn't miss the blush that coloured his cheeks and that made her blush as well, not having meant to have said that out loud.

"Same here," he agreed with her, a shy smile forming on his lips. The blush on her face deepened but she didn't mind it too much.

Though they appeared to be a reserved, quiet pair to everyone else in the restaurant, underneath the table, hidden away were their feet secretly brushing against each other. The music played in the background.

 _Baby, baby, when first we met_  
 _I knew in this heart of mine_  
 _That you were someone I couldn't forget_

* * *

Fortuna, most commonly known as Lady Luck, is the Roman goddess of good fortune, luck, and fate. She may bestow one with good or ill luck, something that can never be predicted due to her fickle mind.

Unfortunately for Ceres, it seems that the goddess has bestowed her with ill fortune today. As soon as she steps out of the building after an off-site conference meeting that had ended later than expected, the rain comes pouring out of nowhere.

She tries calling for a cab but due to the unexpected weather, cabs are in high demand and it's nearly impossible to catch one now. So here she is, out in the freezing cold rain with no umbrella, an aching belly begging to be fed, and a horrible headache threatening to blow into a migraine. A car suddenly drives by and before she can avoid it, she gets soaked by the puddle it drives over.

Not only is she hungry, tired, and sporting a massive headache, she's _drenched_ now, too.

She can feel the tears of frustration threatening to come out of her eyes.

"Ceres?"

Averting her eyes up, she sees the very last person she wants to see her at this state.

The Japanese-Canadian man is standing in front of her, his expression full of worry and concern. As soon as he's certain that it is her, he quickly approaches her with those long legs of his and in seconds, holds his umbrella over her wet form.

"Are you okay?" He doesn't give her a chance to respond as he begins rummaging through the pockets of his trench coat in search of something. When he finds it, he takes it out and offers his handkerchief out to her.

"What are you doing here?" She asks with a shaky tone, ignoring the proffered handkerchief to her.

He looks like he doesn't want to answer, what with the way his lips curling into a frown. It disappears almost immediately but the uncertainty remains on his face.

"We got a call about a robbery that just happened nearby and we were the responding unit..." He trails off when he notices her shiver. Without another word, he pushes the umbrella onto her hand. She fumbles at his forcefulness, unused to it. She watches as he removes his trench coat and before she even realizes it, he drapes it over her shoulder.

"What are you doing? It's cold! You need it," she tells him, making move to remove it from her but he stops her.

"You're cold," he says simply, almost in a scolding manner. As if on cue, she lets out a shiver once more. "I drove today. I can give you a ride home."

Then he pauses, almost as if catching himself.

"Only if you want to. I know...you don't want to be around me," he murmurs with a wry look. His usual shy, collected side makes a comeback and he steps back, ignoring the rain pelting down on him.

She bites her lower lip, averting her gaze away from him as she internally debates inside her head if she should accept his offer or not. She knows that he doesn't have an ulterior motive. He's probably not even capable of such thing.

"Fine," she finds herself relenting. "If you don't mind..."

She sees him easing into a small, relieved smile. The very sight causes her heart skip a beat and she has to scold herself for even reacting in such way.

"You'll get sick if you stay in the rain," she comments, reaching out the umbrella so that it shelters him from the freezing rain as well. "You should hold it since you're taller."

He does so and leads her to his car. Ever the gentleman, he opens the door for her and waits until she's seated inside before he closed the door. She twiddles with her thumbs, watching him walk to the other side of the car to sit himself in the driver seat.

"Where to?" He asks as he starts the engine.

"Fifth Avenue. It's the last apartment complex," she responds.

"Got it."

She watches him increase the heat. He's always been so considerate, she thinks as she chews disconcertingly on her bottom lip. She chooses to focus her gaze outside the window instead, watching the car merge to the highway.

The silence that looms over them is heavy and uncomfortable. Normally, the sound of raindrops pelting down the car roof would have eased her but it only worsens her anxiety. As if sensing her current mood, Joseph turns on the radio while keeping his eyes on the road.

"Feel free to change the station," he offers.

She murmurs her acknowledgement, glad to have something to fill in the awkward silence. She turns to her usual music station before easing to her seat once she hears the chirpy voice of the usual announcer.

 _"Next up on our list is an old song in the 1990s that played in every music station..."_

A familiar tune starts playing and she stills, immediately recognizing the song.

 _"Please enjoy Alison Krauss' "Baby, Now That I've Found You"!"_

 _Baby, now that I've found you_  
 _I won't let you go...  
_ _I build my world around you  
_ _I need you so, baby even though  
_ _You don't need me now_

"This certainly brings back memories," Joseph comments.

She blinks at him in surprise, noting the nostalgic smile on his face.

"This song was playing when we had our first date. It was raining that day, too."

So he remembers, too. It's honestly surprising he even noticed back then, too. Men don't necessarily pay attention to things like that.

She grips his coat closer to herself, remembering that day very clearly as if it just happened yesterday. It was perhaps the happiest moment of her life despite all the mishaps that kept going their way that day.

"You remember...?"

He glances at her briefly before looking back to the road.

"Of course I do," he affirms. "I felt like an idiot. Everything was not going according to plan. What a way to impress a girl."

"It wasn't your fault, you know?" She tells him, a small smile crossing her features. "It worked out in the end."

"...not necessarily," he whispers.

The car slows to a stop before she can even say anything to his statement.

"Is this is your building?" He asks.

She looks outside the window and sees that they have arrived at her place. The rain seems to have stopped as well, leaving puddles everywhere.

"...Yes." She begins unbuckling the seat belt, hearing a click on the car door lock as he unlocks it. She makes an attempt to remove his coat so that she can return it but he stops her.

"It's all right. Keep it. You're still cold," he tells her. "And you don't have to return it. You can throw it out."

She glances at the coat, noting the wool material it's made of. It's certainly of good quality, nothing that can _easily_ be thrown away. He's too nice, always taking her feelings into consideration. But it was that trait of his that made her fall for him in the first place, wasn't it?

 _Spent my life looking for that somebody_  
 _To make me feel like you_

She reaches out for the door handle and pushes it open.

"Thanks for the ride," she thanks him with a smile after she gets out and closes the door. The window is turned down so that they can speak before he drives off.

"It was my pleasure," he says. He turns the engine on once more. "Well then, I'll be going now."

She nods, not knowing what else to say. The window slowly goes up, the song still playing.

 _Now you tell me that you want to leave me  
_ _But darling, I just can't let you_

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

But the window has already closed, her words going unheard by him. He gives her one nod from the car before he drives off.

And while she watches his car drive off, all she can hear is Loraine's words echoing in her head.

 _"Fear is temporary. Regret is forever."_

She turns around to enter her building, her heart heavy as she realizes something.

She still loves him.

 _Baby, now that I've found you_  
 _I won't let you go_  
 _I build my world around you_  
 _I need you so, baby even though_  
 _You don't need me, you don't need me no no_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** So I lost my drive here somewhere along the way. Also, lowkey wrote this for myself as a lesson learned for my messy life choices. LOL

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Take a chance**

* * *

He finally got that promotion! Detective. _Detective_ Joseph Oda. All those tiring cases, nonstop overtime, and sleepless nights - all his hard work had finally paid off!

He could barely contain his excitement as he turned off the engine after parking at the underground parking lot of their building. If he hadn't controlled himself, he would be bouncing in his seat like a giddy child. He wanted to tell her the news as soon as possible, to share this moment with her. However, the moment he thought of her, the excitement soon faded away into nervousness and apprehension.

He pulled out the tiny velvet box out of the pocket of his pants. Popping it open, he half-expected its contents inside to be gone but the ring shining in his face proved him otherwise. He didn't even know how many times he had checked this entire day, so distracted was he that he almost tripped on his own feet when he checked inside for the nth time.

"You can do this," he urged himself, taking deep breaths in attempt to calm himself. After breathing in and out a couple of times, he reached out for the bouquet of flowers from the backseat and finally dragged himself out of the car. He made his way to the elevators and pressed the number for their floor. As he waited, he tapped his foot nervously while he smoothed his hair back. He checked himself on the mirror walls of the elevator to make sure he looked presentable. He did - not a speck of dust or dirt on himself. Still, he felt like something was missing but he attuned it to just being nervous.

It's not everyday that he proposed to someone.

What if she said no? What if she said that now was not the time? What if she wasn't ready?

 _What if she didn't love him anymore?_

His inner thoughts did nothing to calm his anxiety. If ever, it only made it worse. He ought to really stop thinking negatively.

The elevator gave a high-pitched _ping_ to let him know that he had arrived at his floor. He stepped out as soon as the doors slid open and he made his way to their door. Every step only elevated his apprehension, his heart hammering loudly against his rib cage. He could feel the cold sweat forming on his back as he neared their shared apartment.

The door looked intimidating once he was standing in front of him. He could feel his throat tightening and he had to adjust his collar to ease it. Taking one last deep breath, he convinced himself to just get it over with.

 _After all_ , he thought to himself as he keyed in his keys. _What's the worst that can happen?_

The door swung open and he entered only to find the entire place dark. Confused, he reached out a hand to turn on the lights by the foyer as he removed his shoes.

"Ceres?" He called out, stepping inside. This was strange. She should be home by this time. He glanced at his wristwatch. It was only nine sharp.

He went to the dining room and turned on the lights. There was a folded piece of paper placed by the table. He blinked at it curiously as he picked it up. Unfolding it, he read its contents with his eyes before he found himself go still, heart breaking into tiny little pieces.

The bouquet of flowers fell on the ground, petals scattering by his feet.

 _Thank you for everything.  
Goodbye._

The worst had happened.

* * *

Against her wishes, Ceres finds herself standing outside the police station. She feels self-conscious at the attention she's garnering from the few officers out on their smoke break. She knows she stands out, especially with her crisp attire and black stilettos. The paper bag she is holding in her hands warrants quite the suspicious looks, especially when she is simply loitering around. With a sigh, she summons herself to finally head to the entrance, only to almost hit the door when it suddenly swings open.

"Oops! My bad!" The man apologizes upon noticing her. "Are you hurt?"

She hears someone sigh behind him, as if this is a normal occurrence.

"I told you to stop rushing for the door or you're going to eventually hit someone," the voice chastises the Caucasian man standing in front of her.

She blinks at the familiar voice, instantly recognizing who it belongs to. As if on cue, Joseph comes into view and the surprise on his face is unmistakable upon the sight of her.

"Ceres?"

She gives him a small smile and a wave.

"Hi."

"What are you doing here?" He asks, more out of curiosity than animosity.

She lifts the bag she is carrying to show him the purpose of her sudden visit.

"I brought your coat back. I dry cleaned it as well."

"You didn't have to," he says, looking both troubled but pleased at her presence as he accepts the bag. "How much do I owe you?"

"You don't owe me anything," she assures him. "Thank you for lending it to me."

"You know I don't mind," he insists.

The man that is with Joseph looks at them back and forth but stays quiet, almost as if he's much more inclined to observe their interaction on the sideline. For the most part, Joseph ignores what she assumes is his partner, almost as if he even forgets that he is still there.

"Well," she starts, adjusting the strap of the purse she wears on her shoulder in an attempt to hide the awkwardness she is currently feeling. "I should go. I don't want to take much of your time any longer."

Quickly, she turns around and begins walking away, refusing to give him the chance to stop her. Her heels click as she rushes through the sidewalk but before she can even really leave the area, she feels someone hold onto her arm, effectively stopping her.

"Wait!" The urgency in his tone is obvious, his hold onto her firm. She doesn't turn around but remains still, not shaking him off.

"I thought you hated me," he says, almost accusingly. "But when you do things like this...it gives me other ideas. It gives me _hope_."

His grip on her tightens somewhat but not tight enough to hurt her.

She bites her lower lips, feeling conflicted herself.

Didn't she promise herself that she will not have her heart broken once again? But she didn't have to give him his coat herself, she could've delivered it to him by mail if she really refused to see him once again. Yet, here she is, dressed at her best and brought his coat back in person.

 _Why did I come here?_

Joseph, unaware of her inner turmoil, mistakes her silence for something else and lets go of her.

"Sorry," she hears him murmur as he steps back. "I know you don't like being touched without your permission."

She finally turns around and almost feels her heart breaking at the crestfallen expression on his face.

It's true that she still has feelings for Joseph. She's seen a few men since they broke up but they were nothing close to what she had with him. He was a kind man who would do anything for her but her loneliness and pride got the better of her. She didn't want to go through that heartache once again but they were younger back then, much more naive. She's different now, so is he, and she would like to think that she has gotten wiser since then. Perhaps she can give him a second chance, perhaps she can give this – _them_ – a second chance.

 _"Fear is temporary. Regret is forever."_

Her friend's words echo in her head, almost a forewarning of what would happen if she let this one last chance go.

Joseph's face is that of surprise when she suddenly grips his hands with her own. She would've laughed at his expression if it weren't for her her heart hammering against her chest.

Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.

"Joseph," she calls his name, attempting to smoothen her voice when it comes out shaky but she persists, knowing that it is now or never.

Fear is only temporary but regret is forever.

"I want to give us a chance once more."

She meets him in the eyes, trying to convey her feelings to him as best as she can.

"I still love you."

 _"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go." — T.S. Eliot_


End file.
